This gravy is delicious with Mashed Potatoes or Lentil & Rice Loaf. It’s rich and flavorful even without the typical processed ingredients found in vegan gravies, such as soy sauce, non-dairy butter, flour, and cornstarch.

In a medium saucepan on high heat, add 1 tablespoon of water, and when it starts to sputter, add the mushrooms, onion, carrot, and celery. Cook stirring for about 3 minutes until the vegetables soften, adding a little water as needed to prevent sticking. Add the garlic and poultry seasoning, and continue stirring for another 2 minutes (adding water as needed).

Add the cooked vegetables to the blender of water and cashews, and blend until smooth (add more water if you’d like a smoother consistency). Return the gravy to the saucepan (on medium heat) and stir briefly just to reheat, grinding a bit of black pepper in at the end. Serve immediately.

Chef’s notes:

Cashews: If you do not have cashews on hand, you can try a little tahini (sesame seed paste) or walnuts; but cashews are my favorite choice because they are soft and yield a smooth final gravy. If you don’t eat nuts or seeds, try some white beans in place of the cashews; the gravy won’t be as rich, but it will provide a smooth gravy look and texture. If you want to use flour, use rice flour (I would whisk it in after blending and returning to the saucepan), as it doesn’t clump like wheat flour.

Poultry seasoning: I have a fondness for poultry seasoning, especially around the holidays; but if you don’t have any, you can use a combination of dried onion, sage, rosemary, marjoram, parsley, and/or thyme.

Creamy Mushroom Gravy

This gravy is delicious with Mashed Potatoes or Lentil & Rice Loaf. It’s rich and flavorful even without the typical processed ingredients found in vegan gravies, such as soy sauce, non-dairy butter, flour, and cornstarch.

In a medium saucepan on high heat, add 1 tablespoon of water, and when it starts to sputter, add the mushrooms, onion, carrot, and celery. Cook stirring for about 3 minutes until the vegetables soften, adding a little water as needed to prevent sticking. Add the garlic and poultry seasoning, and continue stirring for another 2 minutes (adding water as needed).

Add the cooked vegetables to the blender of water and cashews, and blend until smooth (add more water if you’d like a smoother consistency). Return the gravy to the saucepan (on medium heat) and stir briefly just to reheat, grinding a bit of black pepper in at the end. Serve immediately.

Chef’s notes:

Cashews: If you do not have cashews on hand, you can try a little tahini (sesame seed paste) or walnuts; but cashews are my favorite choice because they are soft and yield a smooth final gravy. If you don’t eat nuts or seeds, try some white beans in place of the cashews; the gravy won’t be as rich, but it will provide a smooth gravy look and texture. If you want to use flour, use rice flour (I would whisk it in after blending and returning to the saucepan), as it doesn’t clump like wheat flour.

Poultry seasoning: I have a fondness for poultry seasoning, especially around the holidays; but if you don’t have any, you can use a combination of dried onion, sage, rosemary, marjoram, parsley, and/or thyme.

Cathy Fisher is a plant-based cooking instructor who teaches at TrueNorth Health Center and the McDougall Program in Santa Rosa, California. Visit StraightUpFood.com to view her healthy plant-based recipes.